More than Anything
by teamezria53098
Summary: Beth escapes from the hospital and finds Daryl and the rest of the group. They're left to deal with their unresolved feelings, yet still face reality in the chances of love in a zombie apocalypse.
1. Running

She ran.

She had ran out of the funeral home when walkers had broken through the front door of the funeral home. She ran until she was knocked out of the way by something, she didn't know what, until she was being dragged into the trunk of a car.

"_Daryl! Daryl, please!"_

The car that took her away from what had been their safe place. From _him._

And she had ran after seeing an arm get amputated right in front her, because the man had been bitten. She stood while the police officer slapped her in the face, telling her she was part of a system. And she ran after killing the same woman a day after. She ran through the woods, no idea in the world where she was running to, or where she was. No idea where _he _was.

Then her legs gave out, and now Beth was trudging through the woods, her boots muddy, her clothes bloody and ripped, and her face had a fairly impressive wound on her left cheek.

"_I'm not gonna leave you!" Beth yelled as walkers kept pushing her back, pushing her away from Daryl, out of his sight. _

And that's exactly what she had done. She didn't want to, she fought her way to untangle herself from her captor's arms, but had failed. There was not one day when she didn't think about him, about his whereabouts…whether he was alive. Flashbacks of their last conversation kept rolling through like a film through her head.

"_What changed your mind?" Beth asked curiously, her smile getting bigger and she noticed his cheeks flushing the faintest red. _

_And then when he looked at her, those piercing eyes staring at her. He looked both uncomfortable and calm at the same time. She knew he was waiting for her to say something, anything at all. But what could she say?_

_Beth stared back, smile fading, but not exactly turning into a frown. She was finally able to let one word escape her lips. "Oh"._

She had wanted more than anything to finish that conversation, and find a way how to deal with everything that had happened between them. However, she needed to find him first. She needed to know he was alive.

The snapping of a tree branch startled Beth, as she quickly spun around, eyeing her surroundings; she pulled out her knife just as fast. She waited in silence for a few seconds, then when the coast was clear, she continued on her way through the leaves.

Of course, she thought of the others too. Maggie, Rick, Glenn, Judith, Carl, Michonne, Tyreese...everyone. _Her dad._ But she had convinced herself that they were gone, erased. She truly believed her and Daryl were the only ones left. Boy, was she wrong.

About 15 minutes later, she heard a voice.

"_Beth!"_

She stopped and grabbed her knife. It was far away, and hard to hear, but she had sworn it sounded like Daryl_. Like his Redneck accent_.

Then again, she'd been hearing a lot of things recently. Her daddy telling her she could be whatever she wants to be when she grows up, Maggie singing with her whenever she felt sad, _his voice_ whenever she thought of him…so she continued walking, still alert.

"_Beth! Are you out there?"_

This time Beth didn't stop in her tracks, she drew towards the voice, it getting louder every few steps.

"_Beth!"_

This was frustrating the blonde now, as the voice was loud and clear, but there was no image. No body, no nothing. Then she turned her head, and focused on a small group of people. She noticed a tall, shorter haired brunette, walking with a man who looked a lot like…_Glenn._

She walked quickly now, trying to see the faces more clearly. Maggie. Rick. Carl. Michonne. Tyreese. Sasha. Bob. And Carol? They were all there. Except _one._

She quietly made her way closer, almost too close. The fall leaves couldn't keep her cover though, as the group pointed their gun to the sound of them crumbling and crunching beneath her shoes. Beth stood still, breathing heavily. Her eyes started to water. "Maggie?" she choked out.

Maggie dropped her knife and ran over to her sister in shock. "Beth!"

The water works began, as they started to sob into each other shoulder. They had started to laugh in disbelief, as they hugged each other tighter than ever before. Then everybody else joined in. _All but one._

After a few minutes of joy and tears, Beth stepped back and looked around, tears still going down her face. _Where was he?_

"What happened to your face, and your clothes?" Maggie asked quickly, noticing her appearance now that her vision wasn't so blurry with tears.

Beth smiled. "I can tell you anything you need to know later. I promise. I just need to take a breath…" she exclaimed, putting her hand up to her chest. Her hands felt where her heart would be, her chest rising and falling quickly. "Where is he—where's Daryl?" she eventually asked.

"He, uh, he stays behind a little bit. He says he's looking for food, but…" Rick trailed off.

"But what?" Beth asked.

Rick smiled. "Nothin'. You know how much he loves his rabbits. He should be catchin' up to us now," pointing behind him.

She took a deep breath. "I'll be right back! Promise," she yelled as she backed away from the group.

And then she ran again.

Author's note: Hey guys! So I've started this. What have I done to myself? Seriously?! I'm setting myself up for heartbreak and a tremendous amount of feelings. I hope to update once a week, (if you guys keep comin' back for more…) haha I really hope you enjoy this, the next chapter will be a bethyl reunion so this is just to get started and for you to just see what her mindset is at the moment. I know you probably read this same kind of story over and over on here, but I'll try and take them different routes And I'll try to make it as heartbreaking and heartwarming as possible , haha. So leave a review and tell me what you think! -Courtney


	2. Stunned

Beth made her way through the trees, looking for his figure, listening for his voice. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, as she looked at her surroundings. She spotted a ladybug crawling on the surface of a leaf. She smiled as she carefully brought her finger to the edge of the green plant, letting the insect onto her finger. It reminded her of the ladybug artwork that was plastered on her wall in her old room in the prison. _The prison._

She mocked herself for thinking they could actually stay there for the rest of their lives, all of them. That they could live in peace and with no fear with the fence holding the place up. That everybody would survive…Beth thought of Hershel, and how he was the one who had taught her to have faith, to stay positive through all of this. And now he was gone forever.

Her hands began to tremble as Beth got lost in a moment of grief. Daryl had given her a chance to mourn outside the funeral home, and even put flowers on the grave. They had held hands after that. She appreciated him so much for that. _Daryl._

Daryl made his way through the trees, hurrying to catch up with the group. He had thought he saw something earlier, something blonde and beautiful, and it was running away from him. So, he had stayed behind longer than he should have to follow it, but nothing ever showed up. He turned around to head back to the road. And there she was.

Her back was faced to him, and didn't even notice he was there. Her shoulders were moving back and forth, showing that she was crying. He didn't know if he should say anything. He didn't know _how_ to say anything, for that matter_. _

A loud noise startled Beth, causing her to jump around and gasped at the sight in front of her.

His crossbow lay on the ground, and as her eyes traveled upward, she met his eyes for the first time in weeks. Daryl stood there, speechless and paralyzed.

Beth gulped and took a step toward him, unsure of what to say.

"Beth," he whispered. The silence was extinguished when Daryl quickly pulled Beth into him, his arms wrapping around her waist, hers around his neck. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, and neither of them seemed to mind, at least not in that moment. Daryl sighed into her tangled hair, breathing her in. It was a moment of pure bliss. She tightened her arms around him as she dug her head into the crook of his neck. "I miss'd ya like hell."

"Hey," she sighed, overjoyed. Her voice snapped him back into reality as he pulled away awkwardly, clearing his throat. Beth didn't say anything, since even she was surprised he had been so intimate in that moment.

"I'm so sorry, Beth. I was runnin' for days, looked for ya everywhere, and then the road just split in half, and I, I couldn't do nothin'…no I should've—" he started to ramble, the guilt pouring out of him.

"Daryl, stop. You didn't do anything wrong," she tried to reassure him, but she wasn't convincing enough. Daryl looked at the ground, shaking his head. Beth brought her hands up and cupped his face. He looked around everywhere but into her eyes. "Look at me."

He knew if he looked at her, he'd be gone He picked his head up to stare into those big, beautiful blue-green eyes. He could get lost in them.

She stared at him for a moment. "I'm here now. We're both here right now. That's all that matters," she claimed. She was right. He was more than ecstatic that she was back with him, _alive._

Her hands were warm against his cheeks. Her thumb hesitantly rubbed across his rough skin, and he got a feeling he's never felt before. It felt nice, not like the kind of "touches" he used to get when his father beat him. It was the kind of feeling that made his scars hurt a little less.

He panicked and moved back out of her hands. Beth lowered her hands, knowing she pushed a boundary. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Daryl gave her a small smile to let her know he was fine. "We should be gettin' back," he suggested as he grabbed his crossbow and started to walk back. He turned back and waited for her to walk next to him. He wasn't going to leave her side, or let her out of his sight.

Beth looked down at the ground. She didn't know what to expect from being reunited with him, but she guessed she thought he'd be…happier. He hadn't said one word in several minutes.

Daryl noticed this, and she didn't know he had been looking at her from the corner of his eye the entire walk back to the group. He glanced down at her every now and then, basking in her pure existence.

Right before they came in the group's sight, he put his hand lightly on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're back." Beth smiled faintly.

"Me too," she exclaimed. Daryl quickly brushed his hand down her arm, until he reached her elbow. Then the silence returned.

The group had started a fire that night, and they all sat around, talking. Maggie sat with Beth off to the side, and Beth had told Maggie everything that she experienced, on her own of course. Daryl sat in close proximity to them, his eyes roaming over to Beth from time to time.

"Beth, I'm…words can't explain how sorry I am that you had to deal with that…those monsters," she muttered, letting her fingertips roam over the cut on Beth's face.

Beth shrugged. "I wouldn't call them monsters. They were trying to do the right thing by takin' people in and helpin' them…but I guess they were so desperate that the situation just kind of…took control over their conscience. They didn't care who they had to keep, remove, or hurt. They wanted to get the job done," she explained.

Maggie nodded in understanding. "Well, they still deserve the worst," she raised her eyebrows, making Beth giggle.

Maggie smiled and tilted her head, looking over at Daryl. "So, are you gonna tell me what happened between you two?"

Beth gulped. "What do you mean?"

Maggie laughed. "Oh don't act like I don't know, Beth. We've all noticed it," she admitted.

"Know what? Do tell," Beth teased. Beth wasn't prepared for what she was about to say.

Maggie crossed her legs excitedly, and clasped her hands together. "We all know Daryl loves huntin', but every 15 minutes? Bringing back no meat?" she questioned. "He wasn't huntin' for food, Beth."

What was she talking about? Beth furrowed her eyebrows at Maggie, she needed clarification.

"He was huntin' for you, Beth!" she said smiling. "We'd hear him yelling your name, and come back looking even more determined than before. And then at night, when he'd actually rest, he'd be saying your name in his sleep. Care to explain now?" she giggled.

Beth opened her mouth in surprise. _Did he really do that?_ He sure didn't look like he showed _that_ much interest since the funeral home. And when they embraced.

Beth raised her hands in defense. "I was looking for Judith to put her on the bus, when the prison fell, and I couldn't find her. But I found _him._ We got out together…we were with each other, we thought…we thought everyone else was gone," Beth admitted shamefully, looking down. "And I guess, we kind of helped each other through our own problems. We were…comfortable, and then it was ruined," she exclaimed.

Beth spotted Daryl throwing more wood into the fire. She sat down next to him. Everyone else was discussing who would take watch for the night. "Do you want to take a walk with me?" he finally asked. Beth nodded.

They walked in silence, once again, keeping close to the group. "Can we talk about…what happened back at the funeral home? Before everything went to crap again?" Beth finally asked, looking up at him.

He kept looking down at the ground. "Can we talk about that nice scar on your cheek?" he asked, pointing. "That sounds like a good story. Did you kick some ass—"

"I asked first," Beth stated bluntly. She wanted answers.

Daryl continued to walk down the path, and Beth stopped in her tracks in frustration.

"Daryl!" she said, raising her voice.

He spun around, walking towards her now. He was intimidating, but if Beth wasn't scared of him back at the Moonshine shack, she sure as hell wasn't going to flinch now. "What do you want from me, Greene?" he yelled.

"_What do you want from me girl, huh?" Daryl yelled, he got up in her face. _

"_I want you to stop acting like you don't give a crap about anything!" she yelled back. He wasn't going to win this. She was going to tell him like he needed to be told. _

Beth waited a moment. "I want you to stop acting like nothing happened when we were alone," she breathed. "Like you didn't change, like you didn't feel different when we were together."

Daryl shook his head. "I don't got a clue what happened between us back there, but it's not the same anymore. We're not alone now," he replied coming closer. _How could it not be the same?_

Beth laughed, "No, you know that's not the reason," she squinted her eyes at him.

"Oh yeah? What is it, then, Beth?" he challenged.

She stared into his eyes. "You felt something. I gave you something," she exclaimed.

"What is th—"

"Hope."

Daryl fell silent. Beth sighed as she came closer to him. "I gave you hope that there were still good people. I gave you hope that I was still alive, and that's why you were so determined to find me. I know you never gave up lookin' for me," she confessed.

"You don't know nothin'," he whispered.

"_Is that what you think?" he questioned. How could she talk back to him like that?_

_Beth took a step back, nodding her head. "That's what I know."_

_Daryl leaned in, sweat dripping down his face. "You don't know nothin'"._

"And I'm here now. So, what are you waiting for?" she asked desperately. She wanted him to act like he did in the funeral home and while they were burning down the house. She wanted to see him smile in content again.

Daryl started to move back, eyes looking nervous now. "I…I don't know. I don't know what I think," he rushed.

"Let me help you," Beth pleaded. "We can figure this out together," she said.

Daryl stood in place. "I—I just can't stand the idea of losin' ya again," he claimed.

Author's note: So, I decided to give you guys another chapter since the first didn't have any Bethyl goodness. That reunion! That's kind of how I picture their actual reunion to be, but without so much angst afterward…haha I hope you guys enjoyed! Don't worry, you'll get some bethyl cuteness next chapter -Courtney


	3. A Truth Told in Slurs?

Beth looked up into his eyes before smiling. "You won't," she assured, before stepping a little closer. But if he couldn't stand to lose her again, why was he acting the way he was?

Daryl shook his head. "I know…I know but I already lost ya once, and it was just out of my control, I couldn't—" he started.

"Exactly! It wasn't in your control, so I won't let you beat yourself up over this. It's done, and I found you. That's all that matters to me right now," she admitted. It really was. She couldn't bring herself to tell him that she thought he might have been dead this entire time. Meanwhile, he hadn't given up on her. It was driving her crazy.

Daryl looked down at her and cleared his throat. He looked for the words to come out of his mouth, but there was only silence. "Beth, I," he mumbled. His eyebrows were knitted together as if he was fighting a battle in his head. "I don't see ya as jus' another dead girl."

Beth laughed softly. "I know." He slowly brought himself to look at her again…look at those beautiful eyes of hers. But he didn't know what he saw her as…He never had any experience with love, or what it felt like. He didn't know what this was, and he didn't know if she would understand his mindset at the moment. "You just have all this crap and guilt pulling you back again. We put that away when we burnt down that house, remember?" she asked.

Daryl nodded. She repositioned herself on her feet and gave him a devilish grin. "You know what we should do?"

Daryl shrugged. "Start trainin' ya again? Because we gotta get that goin' again, ya gotta be fully prepared…" he rambled.

Beth sighed. "Later!" she sighed quickly, as she grabbed his hand. His attention went immediately to her sudden movement. "Let's go!" she sang happily as she pulled him away to the camp.

When she got to Daryl's backpack, she started rummaging through it, smiling. Daryl caught up and shook his head. "What do you think you're doin', Greene? There's nothin' in there but worthless cash and an extra arrow," he noted.

He sighed when she pulled out four average-sized bottles of moonshine from his bag. She raised her eyebrows as she playfully shook the obviously-full bottles of alcohol.

Daryl raised his hands up in defense. "I took some extra ones after we left the shack…I don't know why," he started but she ran passed him, hollering at him to follow her. He followed willingly.

"You did not!" she gasped, her mouth opened wide at a laughing, drunken Daryl Dixon.

He took another drink from his bottle and nodded. "I ain't kiddin' ya," he claimed.

"You told your brother you'd stab every inch of his body with a knife…_for stealing your food?" _she asked, bursting out laughing. She held her stomach.

"Hey, don't push it, I was like, nine, or somethin' like that!" he defended himself, playing with the rip in his jeans.

Beth giggled. "Yeah, well, I used to yell at Maggie for riding my horse instead of hers, saying she'll never get her horse back again, but… a knife? For food?" she teased, moving her hands, motioning for him to explain more.

Daryl's smile faded. "Well, that's what you'd expect when your father don't take the time to get food for anybody else but himself," he muttered. Beth stilled. "And with Merle…women comin' in and out every hour, him tellin' me to man up and get it over with already…" he went off track a little, but Beth didn't mind. He was having a moment, and she was going to let him have it.

Beth gulped and looked down at her almost-empty bottle. "I'm…I'm sorry," she muttered, looking at him in his eyes, which were surprisingly looking right back at her.

Daryl smiled. "No need to apologize. It's just my screwed up family," he choked.

Beth shook her head quickly. "You got away from it though, you did. And look at you now," she pointed out. "You're still here, savin' lives, helping a group survive in this world…and you have people that truly care about you," she said seriously.

He started to play with the tear in the fabric again, making it bigger.

"I care about you," she continued. He stopped.

After a few moments, he grabbed his bottle again and lifted it up to his lips. "Drink up," he reminded, smirking. She appeased his command.

"Have you ever had sex?" she blurted out, loud and obnoxious, but her face was tight. He spit out some of the liquid that was about to go down his throat. He looked at her, wide-eyed, who was patiently waiting for an answer.

Daryl shrugged, swallowing some liquid poison. "Probably have, once or twice," he admitted with a straight face.

She laughed. _"Probably? _What do you mean, _probably_?"

He smiled at her reaction. "If I did, I was most likely drunk. Merle used to bring me to bars daily and girls would come back with us. He'd never let me hear the end of it, if I was…_nervous_ to do the things he did with pride, you know?" he exclaimed shyly.

Beth nodded in understanding as she finished her first bottle. They still had one more each to go. Daryl wanted to turn the question back on her, but wasn't sure if it was appropriate. He would have guessed that she'd gone down that road with Zack, but who know?

"I've never done it," she confessed, almost reading his mind. Daryl just stared at her eyes, and at her fingers which were tapping on the sides of the empty bottle. And then that topic ended.

Daryl sighed. "We should start trainin' again tomorrow. Before we all continue down the road," he suggested, a slur could be noticed in his voice.

Beth nodded. "I agree, but let's just say, I'm getting' used to killin' them," she exclaimed.

He sat for a moment, confused. Then, he realized she was talking about the hospital. "Can you tell me what happened there?" he asked, raising his head up again. Beth opened up her second bottle of moonshine and began.

For a while, Beth explained how the people treated her at the hospital, and how even though she hates them for it, she didn't blame them. They were acting like moral humans would. They maybe just got desperate…

Daryl listened the whole time, observing her facial expressions. How she frowned when she talked about the amputation that she had to watch, and how the man had died anyway a couple hours later. Her eyebrows knit together when she talked about how she stabbed the police officer when she wouldn't let her out of the room. And how she smiled, just a little, when she made her escape. How she smiled when she told him that she was thinking about _'what Daryl would do'_.

When she finished, he wondered if she still had her diary…if she wrote down her experiences there. He didn't want to read them, he wanted to burn them. She helped him forget his past, at least for a little while. He wanted to do the same thing for her. Now, it would just be ripping out paper, but maybe it'd mean something.

"Do you still have your diary?" he questioned.

Beth smiled, then shook her head. "I think I lost it when the car hit me," she explained. "I kinda miss it," she laughed, taking another drink from the bottle.

They talked for a long time, they just sat there, cross-legged, each against a tree not too far apart. And then there were times where they just sat in silence, and enjoyed each other's company.

After all their empty bottles were tossed away, Beth yawned drunkenly. "Thank you for everything," she exclaimed, smiling.

Daryl laughed. "Why are you thanking me? You're the one that dragged me out here with pure intent," he noted. She giggled. "Thank you, I really…I really needed tonight. I don't know how much I'll remember tomorrow, but…thanks, Greene."

"Anytime," Beth said, stumbling to get up and falling into him. He caught her arms. She looked up, breathing heavily. "I love you," she stated.

He froze. Nobody has ever said that to him before. Not Merle, his father, maybe he mother, but he never thought she meant it. If she meant it, she would have gotten him out of the hell hole he was living in. And now here, Beth was saying it…and then he realized. They're drunk.

Daryl smiled and shook his head, raising her to her clumsy feet. "You don't mean that, Beth," he exclaimed.

Beth laughed. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't…you'll never know," she sang.

Daryl cleared his throat, and they both noticed an aggravated Maggie and Carol walking towards them.

**Author's note: Hey guys! So, did Beth mean that? Or was her mind just clouded with drunkenness? Drama and more romance to come **** However, I need to know that people are actually reading the story and want me to continue. I only got 3 reviews for 2 chapters…I'm gonna be a little greedy, and say I'll need at least 10 reviews for the next chapter to be updated next week. If I get more, the story will be updated quicker! Thanks for everything guys, and I hope you enjoyed! -Courtney**


	4. Bad Timing

The two women made their way over to the drunk mess, shaking their heads. Beth looked like a deer in headlights when she spotted them, yet she continued to giggle and fall into Daryl. He, on the other hand, was still shaken up at what she had said a few moments ago. He cleared his throat as he struggled to keep her on her feet.

"Well, well, well," Carol sighed as she crossed her arms. Carol had reunited with the two hours before, and told them how she got back to the group, and explained what happened to Mika and Lizzie. Daryl understood immediately, while Beth had to take a minute to absorb the information. Eventually she gave Carol a reassuring smile, saying, _"You did what you had to do."_

Maggie stuck out her hip and looked down at Beth. "You know, I'm all out for having a good time every now and then, but this is ridiculous. Beth, when did you start drinkin'?" she questioned as she took her from Daryl's arms. He immediately wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand and grabbed his bag. "Looks like I'm on watch tonight," Maggie exclaimed, raising her eyebrows.

She looked over at Daryl, who was about to make his escape. "Do you have somethin' to do with this?" she interrogated, nodding her head over to her sister.

He shrugged and threw up his hands. "It's all her. She was on a mission," he defended as he started to walk away from the stumbling Beth who was waving to him. He shook his head.

He had always heard that people always tell the truth when they're drunk…but was that the case here? He didn't know what, or even _how _to feel. He didn't even know where he stood with her. When they first got out together, he saw himself as her protector, and just that. Now, it felt _different._

He went to a certain spot on the ground and lay in the dirt. He thought and thought about the night's events, until the alcohol encouraged his eyes to close.

Daryl woke up with a headache, but it wasn't too bad. He still remembered everything that happened.

"_I love you."_

He slowly got up and looked around. Rick was packing things up, with Judith sitting in a blanket next to him. He caught Daryl's eye and smiled. "We're gonna head out in, maybe, ten minutes, alright? Would you mind getting Beth? I think she's still sleeping," he exclaimed, cocking his head over to the tent. Daryl nodded.

As he opened the drape to the tent, he noticed Beth, sprawled out on her stomach. Her mouth was open and her hair was messy, but she still managed to look beautiful. He hesitated to wake her. "Beth," he whispered, as he knelt down next to her. No answer.

"Beth, get up," he stated, a little louder this time, nudging her shoulder. She groaned.

He took his hand and put some of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes opened slightly, looking, sleepily around for a figure. "Hmm?" she made out.

"Let's go Greene," he said, rising to his feet again. She was definitely hung over, as she rolled over and squinted her eyes. She put her hands up to her head and held them there.

Daryl sighed as he went behind her and put his hands on her sides, just below her armpits. He lifted her up, and she yawned. "Oh my god, I feel terrible," she admitted, wiping her eyes.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Hangover. We're leavin' in a few minutes. When we stop again I want to start trainin' ya again," he exclaimed, looking behind him.

She opened her mouth, knitting her eyebrows. "Really? I don't think that's a good idea in the state I'm in…I could end up shootin' you instead of one of them," she laughed.

"I'll take that risk," he smirked, walking out of the tent.

Beth walked beside him when the group left their area. They walked several miles down the road, finally finding a small cabin. Daryl and Rick cleared the house. It wasn't perfect, but there were a couple of rooms and it seemed comfortable, at least for a short while. After they settled in, Daryl took Beth out in the woods. She hadn't mentioned the previous night at all. Maybe she didn't remember, or maybe she did and was too embarrassed to talk about it.

Beth listened to him as he told her to shoot at a specific spot on a tree with his crossbow. She was surprisingly accurate almost every time. She wasn't kidding about getting practice when she was held up at the hospital. Between shots, she would look at Daryl.

She was confused, he didn't return her gaze often, and didn't speak. He was acting like he did when she found him. What happened last night? She remembered telling him about the hospital, and him telling her more of his past…but after that, it was just a blur. Something must have went wrong if he was acting this way. So Beth decided to come right up front and ask him.

"So, do you remember what happened last night?" she asked, as she pulled a few arrows out of the tree and strolled back towards him. She looked for his eyes to meet hers. "'Cause I don't," she laughed.

Daryl gulped and looked at the ground. "Uh, yeah," he started. "Hell of a night." He finally looked up at her. When she felt like she had been staring for too long, she turned her attention back to the crossbow.

"What exactly happened?" she asked, shooting at the tree again, hitting it spot on. She looked back towards him. "I remember bits and pieces," she concluded.

He cleared his throat. Should he tell her? Maybe he should just forget it… "Well, we talked, we told embarrassing stories, I talked about Merle…you talked about the hospital, we had a good time," he exclaimed, rubbing the hair on his chin. He found that he did that when he was either deep in thought or incredibly uncomfortable.

"Mhhm," Beth hummed. "Anything else?" she questioned, making her way to the tree again. Daryl paused.

Beth put the arrow in the weapon and aimed to shoot. She waited for his response first.

Daryl started to shake his head, but then muttered, "And then, uh…you said you loved me,"

She spun around nervously as she accidentally shot the crossbow out into the woods. She wanted to look and Daryl and explain herself but decided to distract herself with the arrow. Daryl's breath began to speed up. "I mean, you were drunk, and—" he started.

"That was so stupid!" she sighed as she lowered the crossbow and started to walk away. _What did she mean? The arrow going completely off track, or the "I love you"?_

Beth began to panic as she frantically looked for the lost arrow. Her thoughts scattered everywhere. _Beth, you're an idiot! Why would you say that_? But then again, did she love him? She knew she felt something for him, and the feelings had been growing ever since she had hugged him from behind at the country club. They had started to grow when she saw Daryl so…vulnerable. And then when he opened up to her on the porch, she felt like they respected each other. E ven if she did mean it, she couldn't bring herself to tell him that, at least not right now.

She sped up when she found the arrow laying in the leaves. She went to pick it up, not paying attention, and not looking behind her to see if he followed her. Suddenly, she heard rustling in the leaves. She turned around, expecting it to be Daryl.

In seconds she was face to face with one walker, with another coming up from behind. "Daryl!" she yelled.

She immediately started to fumble with the crossbow, her hands shaking. She backed up, forgetting the second walker and fell backwards dropping the crossbow. Daryl ran to her aid like lightning, but he wasn't fast enough compared to two walkers ganging up on her. She started to scream as she quickly tried crawling out of the way. Daryl panicked as his crossbow was impossible to grab.

He ran to the walker closest to Beth, as it grabbed onto her leg; it's mouth too close to her jeans. Daryl grabbed the back of the walker with one hand, the other hand reaching for his knife. At the same time, she tried to kick it out of the way, and then Daryl heard her shriek.

**Author's note: OH MAN! I feel like this this chapter was less dialogue heavy but important things happened. Do you think that Daryl with confront her about the "I love you" again? Will **_**she **_**bring it up? And what's gonna happen to Beth and Daryl and the walkers? Anyway, I got a little more than 10 reviews last chapter so THANK YOU! I appreciate it, I love reading what you have to say about each chapter. It really helps me out. Anyway, same rules apply for this chapter: I have I get more than 10 reviews, then I will update quicker! Thanks guys! **


	5. More to Me

Daryl body began to shake as he heard Beth's scream. He couldn't tell what happened, but he was angry now. Daryl forcefully pulled the walker and rapidly stabbed its head with his knife countless times, then quickly tossing it off to the side. He immediately knelt down to her and started checking for bite marks. "Beth! What happened? Tell me!" he hollered, as she cried. Her eyes swelled up with tears, as she shot her hand up, pointing behind Daryl.

"Watch out!" she screamed, reaching for the crossbow with was now, with a little effort, able to retrieve. Before Daryl could react, he felt a sharp pain puncture his back causing him to yell. If it wasn't for his scars, it would have hurt a lot less, but this brought back all the pain.

He swung his knife behind him, stabbing the walker in the side, and he was about to push him backwards so he could finish him off, but was interrupted by a crossbow flying straight through the walker's brain. That caught Daryl by surprise, as he turned around and headed back to Beth in pain. She was cringing, holding onto her foot.

"Did it bite you? Let me see," Daryl cooed, gently taking her foot. He wouldn't be able to live if it got her, he couldn't stand to live in a world where she was just…erased.

"I—I don't think so," she shook her head. However, she wasn't worried about her. She had accepted her inevitable mortality back at the moonshine shack. She had heard Daryl yell. What if _he_ got bit? That's impossible, he is supposed to be the last man standing. He can't be…

Daryl sighed in relief. "It's jus' scratches. Not even deep ones. I'll clean it, wrap ya up, and you'll be fine," he reassured. "Okay, sweetheart?" he asked, not even thinking about what he had just said.

She gulped, taking his hand and squeezing it. He didn't hesitate. "What about you?" Let me see, did it-?" she started, unable to make out the words.

"No, I'll take care of it when when we get back to the camp," he said quickly. He didn't want her to see his scars, not even if he was bitten. He hadn't shown them to anybody; they made him self-conscious. He helped her stand up, and he scooped her up in arms, just like he did when he bust through the door of the funeral home because she was walking too slow due to her injury.

"_I'm moving as fast as I can!" Beth defended as she got closer to the kitchen. _

_Daryl smirked. "Forget that," he muttered, as he picked her up in his arms, bridal-style. Her giggles filled the empty room._

She gasped. "Daryl, your back!" she noted, deciding whether or not to fight him to put her down. "I can walk, I'll be fine, I promise," she exclaimed, staring at him, and he was staring right back at her.

"I'm okay, I just ain't takin' no chances with ya is all," he reassured, as they made their way back to the group.

"Beth!" Maggie screamed, as she ran over to her sister.

"What happened out there?" Glenn yelled as he followed his wife. Maggie frantically looked her over, checking every inch of her body for a bite, then sighing in relief when she didn't find one.

Beth's arms were linked around Daryl's neck. She looked over at him before answering. "I was looking for an arrow, and things went bad," she branched off. "But Daryl helped me, he got one and I got one," she reassured. "Check Daryl for me, he's being stubborn and won't let me help him—" she started.

Glenn looked over Daryl with a concerned look. Daryl shook his head. "I'm fine, promise. I'm gonna take her inside and get her ankle wrapped up," he explained as he took her to an isolated room in the house. He settled her down on the table, and then he took her ankle in his hand. He looked around and spotted the group's medical bag.

Beth watched him. "Why won't you let anyone help you?" she asked. What was the big deal? Was he ashamed that he couldn't get it in time? He would be that way, though, putting up a tough front. He really was made for this type of world.

Daryl muttered inaudibly, as he cleaned her ankle bone with a wet cloth, then wrapped it delicately with a bandage. The white cloth was dirty, but it was all they had.

"Don't mmhhm," she mocked. "I thought we were done with that," she smiled. He looked up at her.

He looked down at the ground again. There were so many internal thoughts bashing around in his head…whether or not he should tell her about his abusive past. She would never make fun of him, or bother him about it, or tell anyone else if he asked her not to. She wasn't like that. Her heart was one of gold. His palms began to sweat.

"Hey," she said, grabbing his attention. "Tell me, Daryl, what's wrong?" she asked. She wanted to help him in any way she could. She just couldn't stand to see him hurt like this. They've all had their fair share of loss, but he had to kill his own brother. And he's a guilt wagon, it just keeps building up until he cracks, just like he did at the moonshine shack. She wanted to prevent the build-up, if she could.

Daryl waved his pointer-finger, gesturing for her to sit down next to him at the nearest table, which she did. Before he did, though, he hesitantly lowered his fingers under the hem of his shirt, lifting it up before her. He looked at her the entire time, searching for a reaction, or confusion from her face. Her eyes widened when he turned his back to her and sat down beside her.

She turned her head, her breathing picking up in speed. "Daryl," she whispered. There were scars, scars that covered his entire back like a blanket; his stomach too. There were light and small ones, and ones she knew were deep…ones that would still hurt, and would still bring back all the memories. And there were scratches from the walker just minutes ago. She hoped that he would speak.

He breathed deeply. In and out.

"My dad hit me with 'is belt more times than I could 'member," he started. "Almost every day, over _stupid_ things," he laughed.

Her shaking hands went up to one of the scars, her fingers tracing the line. His back stiffened.

"Every hour was happy hour for him, and later Merle. He'd get drunk as fuck, and suddenly get mad at the way I was sittin' or that I wasn't close enough to 'im…or when I went out with Merle, he'd be waitin'…just waitin' for us to come back," he exclaimed. Beth just sat and listened. She took the wet cloth and delicately dabbed at the scratches, along with his old scars.

"When my mom died, it got worse, if that was even possible," he shook his head. "Merle left after that, he left me all alone. I was his only target. I was young, I needed to get out of there. I started to fight 'im back, but I was jus' so upset, I couldn't win," he whispered. "He died, probably drug overdose; I don't know when, I think when the whole world started goin' to shit. I found Merle, and we just…drifted. We drifted around, and he acted like it didn't happen. Like he didn't even remember… for the longest time. Then we just started killin' things, walkers...got good with a crossbow, and then now I'm here," he croaked.

Beth sat in silence. He didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve any part of his past at all, he was a good man. He just didn't see it. "You don't have to say anything," he continued, about to turn back around to face her, his shirt in his fist.

She stopped him with her hands and stared at his scars. She moved her head slowly to around the back of his shoulder, and pressed her lips firmly against his wounds. He winced, never feeling that sensation before. Never did he feel such a healing effect on his back. She moved her lips all over, and eventually he leaned into her.

Several moments passed in silence, before he finally faced her again. She held out her wrists to him. "Now, I know mine are different, but look where we are now. We're here now, alive, and I'd like to believe we're stronger than ever before. I know am, and you are too. You've beaten this, Daryl," she said softly. "And I'm proud of you."

He gave her the smallest of smiles as he took one of her wrists and slowly kissed the wounds. She gazed at him until he stopped. "Thank you, for showing me…and telling me," she exclaimed.

"Thanks for hearin' me out," he replied, picking up her ankle again. "How's this doin'?" he asked.

She laughed, putting some hair behind her ear. "It's fine…Well, looks like you're gonna need some protectin' too," she teased.

He smirked. "Well, yeah, with you distractin' me as such," he answered, not thinking about his words.

She raised her eyebrows. "How so?" she asked, curious. He was silent, then decided to change the subject. "Damn, you really weren't kiddin' that night about you gettin' better with trainin," he said. "Got 'em dead center of the head." He looked over at her.

She giggled and shrugged her shoulders, and then began to think. _That night._ When she drunkenly told him she loved him. How could they just forget about that? Maybe it's been eating away at him ever since. But then again, what if it wasn't?

She gulped. "Yeah, about that night…" she began. He stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

She decided now wasn't the right time. She'd mention it again though, when the time was right. She smiled. "Uh, nevermind."

Daryl's eyes looked towards the ground again. "But Beth…I'm supposed to be protectin' ya," he noted, shamefully.

She shook her head. Not this again. "Daryl—"

"No, you coulda got bitten. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I tried gettin' to ya in time, I really did," he rambled.

"No, you coulda gotten bitten all the same, Daryl," she said.

He knitted his eyebrows. "It's different," he claimed.

She laughed at his ignorance. "No, it's not, Daryl. It's the same," she said, grabbing his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "You are so much more than a protector to me, Daryl Dixon," she whispered, as her lips moved closer to his, slowly filling the gap between their faces.

**READ:: FOR THIS STORY I'M MAKING IT SO THAT WHEN A WALKER SCRATCHES YOU, YOU DON'T TURN. IN THIS CASE, YOU TURN WHEN YOU GET BIT OR DIE (without being shot in the head). AHHHH! So major development of their relationship this chapter, which is so exciting. I have most of the chapters planned out already. This story is rated M for sexual content later on and for intense situations. I hope you enjoyed, and I really appreciate it if you leave a comment/follow/favorite this story! I pay attention to it and it tells me whether or not to continue/how quickly to update. Thank you everyone! :) -Courtney**


	6. Intertwined

Daryl stayed still, motionless. Even if he wanted to move, he felt like his whole entire body was stuck in quicksand. With ever inch Beth's lips moved closer to his, he sunk in deeper.

Beth was terrified. Terrified of how he would react, or if he would even react to her at all; but she knew what she was doing, and she felt that it was right. She couldn't exactly tell him at the moment how she really felt. Neither him or her were ready for that; however, maybe she could show him…for now.

Daryl closed his eyes as her mouth met his in a gentle kiss. Her right hand reached and ran across the back of his head, her fingers sifting through his long hair. Then, it rested on his cheek. He responded with another kiss, his head leaning to the side for more access.

It lasted only for a few moments, but it was blissful. It felt…good. He backed away from her face suddenly, the awkwardness setting in. Daryl cleared his throat as a lovely red color appeared on Beth's cheeks. She smiled looking down at the ground, touching her braid, then met his gaze once again.

He stared at her, unable to speak.

"Right here, right now," she started. "I'm not going anywhere," she exclaimed reassuringly.

Daryl gulped. "When you're here…I feel like—you make me feel like I'm a little more than nothin'" he whispered.

"_You wanna know where I was before all this?" he asked. She looked at him, listening. _

"_I was just driftin' around with Merle…I was nobody…nothin'."_

Beth took a deep breath and moved even closer to him, until he leaned forward, their foreheads touching, eyes closed. And they just sat there, reveling in a moment of pure content.

The group moved along again, and after a few hours, settled down at a camp again. It was getting dark out, and Daryl sat in front of a fire, staring into the flames.

Rick sat down next to him as he started to put bottles of water into his backpack. He looked over at Daryl. "I see it, you know,"

Daryl snapped out of it. "Hm?"

"The way you look at her," he playfully said. "Beth?" he teased, pretending as if Daryl didn't know what he was talking about.

"What do you mean? I got her back, she's got mine. We take care of each other," he simply defended. He wasn't sure if he wanted everybody to know about him and Beth yet, he wasn't even sure what to call themselves. He trusted Rick though.

Rick laughed and lightly hit Daryl's shoulder. "You look at her like she's your every want and need, isn't that right?"

He sat in silence. He shrugged his shoulders. "Beth's got a…beautiful soul. She gave me hope; and took me back from the edge," he explained.

Rick nodded. "She's got some good role models. Hershel and Maggie, they're the best you can get, I think." Rick looked over at Daryl, who's smirk was fading at the sound of Hershel's name. "She's one of a kind, ain't she?" he asked.

Daryl chuckled. "She sure is," he admitted.

Beth was laying inside the tent, the battered-up blanket wrapped tightly around her petite body. She was comfortable, and tired, but her eyes were wide open. She couldn't stop thinking of him.

There were a million battles being fought inside her head, thinking of him. She tried to reason how he could make her feel like this. He made her feel wanted, and important.

Daryl opened up the tent, and quietly stepped in. He wasn't sure if she was asleep yet. Beth was laying on her side, her hands under the side of her head. He didn't want to wake her, he had just wanted to say goodnight. He turned away, starting to exit the tent, when he heard her voice. "Daryl?" she asked.

He quickly turned to face her. She had rolled over in her back, her starry eyes looking up at him innocently. "Mmmhm," he responded softly.

She smiled, and shifted her weight on the floor. "Will you sleep with me?" she asked.

Daryl looked at her, puzzled.

She sensed his stiffness and continued. "I'm cold, and I can't sleep. We can share the blanket," she claimed, lifting half of the blanket up from under her. "I mean, only if you want to," she whispered.

He hesitated, taking a step and stopping again. He then decided, _"what the hell?" _and eventually slid under the blanket with her. He immediately wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled in close to him. Her hands rested on top of his chest, and her head layed in the crook of his neck. His fingers ran through her hair, which was taken out of the braid. As a result, it was wavy and caressed her cheek bones perfectly.

Her breathing began to slow, as he continued to play with her hair. Her legs were entangled with his, their bodies becoming warm. They lay in silence, until both their eyes closed.

**Author's note: hey guys! So this was a pretty fluffy chapter, and I will say it will stay pretty happy for the next few chapters. However, things will get rough soon. Every story needs a little drama, and a little heartbreak ;) However, I'm gonna need another 8-10 reviews if you want an update in a week. I only got a few reviews for the last chapter, and I would really appreciate you guys' feedback, which tells me to continue. If I get more than that, I will update faster! Thank you guys. And HEY! One more month until TWD comes back! **** -Courtney**


	7. Thinking of You

Daryl's eyes opened to blonde hair inches in front of his face. Her body was faced into him, and her legs were curled around his. He dared to move.

He thought about all that had happened the past couple of days, and when they had kissed for the first time… the first time he had kissed someone he really cared about. He didn't regret it, and didn't think she did either; This made him a little amused.

He moved his arm carefully out from under her waist at the sound of Rick's voice outside the tent. They were supposed to go out on a run for food and supplies this morning, and it wouldn't be right if Daryl didn't come along. He always did the runs. He remembered when Rick went "out of it" after Lori died and baby Judith was born. She kept crying and there was no formula. Hershel had said if she didn't get it, she would die sooner or later. That's when Daryl took matters into his own hands, he couldn't let anyone else die from the group, especially such an innocent baby.

So he went out and searched for formula, coming back later, accomplished. He remembered taking Lil' Ass Kicker in his arms, her so delicate and small, as he successfully fed her. He had looked up at Beth with a hopeful smile, because she was the one who had been taken care of the baby. She looked from the baby to his eyes and returned the smile, and sighed in relief.

His movements caused Beth to stir, and he froze. He didn't want to wake her, she looked so peaceful while she slept. So beautiful.

"Going somewhere?" she murmured, as she reached a hand up to rub her weary eyes.

Beth didn't want to move, and she sure as hell didn't want Daryl to move. She felt so calm and peaceful at the moment, and she felt safe in his arms. She didn't want this moment to go away, at least not now.

Daryl cleared his throat and hesitantly pressed his lips against her forehead. "They're goin' on a run," he started. Her blue eyes gazed up at him. "We learned a couple days ago, it's still dangerous out in the woods. I should be with them just in case," he explained.

Beth frowned and looked down. He smirked and leaned into her ear. "…for the record, I'd rather stay here all day with you," he whispered. She giggled, nodding her head in acceptance.

Rick, Glenn and Daryl went out and found a small pharmacy down the road. They cleared it and ended up taking some food, medicine, and a few other supplies. As they were walking down the aisles, Glenn spotted a certain box, grinned and grabbed several of them. Rick shook his head. "Really?" he questioned.

Glenn laughed. "Better safe than sorry, right?" He noted Daryl's eye-rolling and tossed a box to him. "You'll need it sooner or later," he noted, continuing to walk and scan the items down the way.

Daryl stared at the box for a few moments, gritted his teeth and set the box down again. They passed the school supplies on the side of the store. Rick picked up some paper and a box of markers for Judith. Daryl spotted a brown book that looked similar to Beth's journal. The one she loved dearly, and then lost.

He picked it up and flipped through the blank pages before stuffing it into his pack inconspicuously.

_Daryl slowly headed to Beth's room, to tell her the news of Zack's death. It was hard, but he had found himself taking upon some leadership roles in the group, along with Rick, and this was one of the responsibilities. _

_He turned in her doorway to see her writing in her journal. Her hair was tied up in a pony-tail, a braid flowed in her hair, acting as a signature. She noticed him, and glanced up from the worn pages. "Hey," she greeted happily. _

_Daryl swayed and took a step to the side, closer inside her doorway. "Hi," he returned. _

Beth got out of bed immediately after he had left, and helped Maggie and Carol cooking breakfast and cleaning up. Beth fed Judith, and her and Carl were playing with the baby when Daryl returned.

"Lil' Ass Kicker," he said almost excitedly, his voice raising in pitch. Judith started to make blubbering noises as Daryl ran his hand over her head.

He patted Carl on the shoulder, as Rick gestured for his son to come to him. Carl took Judith in his arms and did so, as Daryl sat down next to the blonde.

"Get what ya needed?" she asked, nodding her head towards his bag, almost overflowing with things they found in the pharmacy.

Daryl nodded, opening the sac, taking out the brown book. "I know you liked your journal and everything.." he exclaimed, handing it over to her. "I saw it layin' 'round in the place, thought I might as well," he mumbled.

Beth's mouth opened and carefully took it from his hands, their fingers lingering for a bit too long. "You got me a new journal?" she asked, turning her hand towards him. She felt…special knowing he thought of her while they were on the run.

Daryl smirked. "I hope you gotta pen, or'else it'll be no use," he noted.

Beth giggled and threw her arms around his neck, his draped around the small of her back. "I know you can't get whatever you wrote in your old book back, but—"

"I know, and it sucks. The last few things I wrote in that, I wish I still had it…but I can write new memories down in this…Happy ones," she exclaimed, releasing him from her hold.

He nodded, as they both stood up. The group was on the move again, so they packed up all their stuff. With everything that happened with them almost bitten out in the woods the other day, they couldn't take any more chances. Being on the move became routine after the prison fell, and they had started to get used to it.

The group walked along the trail, with Beth and Daryl extremely close, but trailing in the back. Daryl suddenly reached for Beth, his hand clasping hers. She gasped in surprise, looking down at their hands before locking their fingers together. She was shocked he would show such intimacy in front of the group—well, intimacy for Daryl isn't much, but it was _something._ And that _something _was good enough for her. For now. He noticed her surprise and smirked, continuing to walk along the trail. "Daryl?"

He looked into her eyes. She was biting her lip, which caused his eyes to look lower, then he raised them again to stare at her big eyes. "Mmhm?" he responded.

She looked down, trying to collect words to say. "Do you wanna know—what I wrote down in my old journal before I lost it?"

He gulped. "None of my business, Greene—"

She laughed and shook her head. "You've opened up to me and I want to open up to you," she admitted. Daryl's expression turned serious, yet welcoming, and focused his attention on her.

**Author's Note: What do you think she's going to tell him? And sorry I haven't updated, school has made me super busy, but I'm really excited for the next few chapters, so I'll be updating weekly, I hope. (Quicker if you guys leave a review!) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you guys for everything! **** -Courtney**


	8. Feeling Again

Once the group made it to their next stop, Beth and Daryl set up the camp and tent. They went inside and sat on the blanket, mirroring one another. Daryl raised his arms toward Beth, motioning for her to continue. She smiled at the ground and began to play with the bottom of her sweater, poking her fingers through the small woolen holes in the fabric. v"Well, I started it when I was little. I used to write about Daddy, and Maggie…I even used to write little songs and I sang them when everyone was busy. I liked being alone. I would sing to my dolls, and sing lullabies as I groomed the horses in the barn. I loved family time though, and I think—I think I began to appreciate so much more as Daddy got older. I wanted to stop time, you know?" she asked.

He nodded his head in agreement. He had wished he could do that thousands of times, especially with all the mistakes he made in his life.

"Then, the apocalypse hit. I wrote down in it every night…writing my fears. The fear of the unknown…I really started writing again when we first got to the prison. I was so happy to have my own bed, in my own room. I had missed the feeling, and I still do. But then we got out of there together," she exclaimed and began to giggle.

Daryl's eyebrows scrunched together. "What's that about?" he questioned, crossing his arms playfully.

Beth wiped her eyes, smiling. "I remember you were such a jerk that first week or so," she admitted. "I couldn't stand your stubborn, reserved, redneck ass, Mr. Dixon," she said laughing again.

Daryl rolled his eyes, and then smiled at her. He looked at her and blinked, unconsciously just like on the porch.

"_Some people can be real jerks when they drink," she admitted, making Daryl feel guilty of his actions that day. _

_He stuck his knife in the wood in front of him. "Yeah, I'm a dick…when I'm drunk," he said smiling. _

She paused to control herself. "We were always movin, you and me. Then, things got better. Like when we burnt the house down…and at the funeral home. You weren't so bad to be around, and I found myself needing you in more ways than one," she started, then trailing off.

Her fingers went to the opposite side of the sweater now, her movements becoming more fidgety. I wrote down the night before the walkers came through the house, and when I was taken. I wrote down how…I changed your mind about there still being good people. At that point, I didn't know how to respond, or how to feel." Daryl began to shuffle on his feet, looking down at the ground.

"Then I was taken to the hospital. The first few days I realized I couldn't stop thinking of you. Of course I wanted to get the hell out of there, but I needed to find you. So, there were just, pages and pages...of _you._"

Daryl brought himself to look into her big, glistening eyes again. She was blushing, and her eyes began to water. He pressed his lips together and gently brought his hand to caress her face, which caused her to lean into his hand.

"And then—that night, when we drank too much…I said I loved you. I didn't know it at the time, but I meant it." She took his hand from her cheek and covered it with both her hands, squeezing it. "…and I mean it now when I say that I'm in love with you, Daryl Dixon," she breathed, almost in a whisper.

They sat in silence for what felt like forever, just staring into each other's eyes.

Then, he leaned in and captured her lips with his, without any hesitation. She fisted his hair, and sat up on her knees so their already warm bodies pressed closer together. He stopped and looked into her eyes. She was breathing heavily, and was nodding slowly to him. She was rubbing her thumb over his cheek and staring at his mouth with so much desire that it could have killed him.

He knew what was going to happen, and to be honest he wasn't sure how to go about it. He was inexperienced. And so was she. Of course he wanted to do this with her. But "love making" was not in his vocabulary, nor something he knew how to do. But he was willing to try and do everything right for her, he wanted to give that to her. She deserved it all and more.

He moved one hand to the small of her back and the other to her hip, pushing her down gently om the blanket, until their lips met again. Beth lay her head back and began to pull on the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and off him. He felt exposed and vulnerable, which she noticed right away. She moved her fingers to his back and slowly and delicately, traced his scars. His breath started to quicken as she moved her fingers to his stomach, then down to his jeans.

His fingers started to shake uncontrollably as she quickly shed her sweater and he fumbled with the buttons on her shirt. Beth looked down and smiled, taking his hand in hers and guiding the buttons through their holes on her shirt. Once that was finished, he pulled it over her head, and froze in admiration.

She was stunning. Beth Greene, the woman who had indeed fallen for, was sitting, bright-eyed below him. She started to nod again and ran her fingers through his hair. "Don't be nervous," she reassured him.

He grunted, and cleared his thoat. "Are you?" he asked.

She swallowed before responding. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," she admitted, which made Daryl a little uneasy. "But I want this. I want you, Daryl. Right here, right now. I couldn't be more ready," she exclaimed, beaming.

Daryl breathed in and out, as Beth began to unbutton his jeans and slide them down his legs. He kicked them off his feet, before kissing her once again, more passionately this time. "You tell me to stop if ya need to," he demanded.

She bit her lip before arching her back up to meet his lips again. Daryl's shaky hands slid over her stomach and waist, causing her to shiver. Only he could make her feel so vulnerable and exclusive at the same time. His fingers went to her underwear and made movements with his thumb, testing the waters. She squirmed, to his amusement. She sighed involuntarily. "Daryl."

He kissed her again, moving his lips to her earlobe. He mouth sucked on the flesh there, as she ran her hands up and down his back.

He lifted the fabric below his fingers and moved his pointer and thumb around in the surroundings. She squirmed and arched into him, her knees buckling. Given more confidence, he moved his fingers in and out, slowly at first, then picking up the pace. She moaned his name, her voice getting louder until she stiffened, shook and fell back down, her back flat against the blankets once again.

She smiled, and brought her fingers under his chin, so their mouths met. She eventually moved her hand down to his boxers, feeling him through the material. She smirked as he gasped at her touch. A few minutes later, the briefs were also tossed aside, leaving them both bare. He adjusted himself, and slowly felt their bodies combine. She gasped, and he stopped abruptly, waiting until she looked okay. A tear escaped her eye, which he kissed away.

She moved slightly, breathed, and then nodded. "Okay," she smiled, that lovely smile.

He moved slowly, so they both could get used to it. Soon enough, Beth had her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him into her. His pace quickened, and all you could here was heavy breathing and the meeting of two bodies. Two bodies that seemed to be made for each other. She breathed his name, and he said hers, and their voices were so deep and desperate that it was a turn-on. Her nails clawed his shoulders, where there were fortunately no scars, and he nipped at her shoulder, as they both released onto each other, exhausted. He let his face collapse into the crook of her neck, as they both tried to regain steady breathing.

They lay there for god knows how long, completely and utterly content. Their limbs were intertwined, and they didn't want to escape each other's warmth. "That was…" she whispered after time passed.

Daryl smirked. "Unbelievable," he finished her sentence, making her giggle. He suddenly became self-conscious. "…Were you-was I—" he tried to make out, but she cut him off.

"Daryl, I couldn't have imagined anything better than that. _That_ was _love_," she claimed, moving some hair out of his eyes.

He grinned. "Thank ya, Beth," he exclaimed.

She looked up at him. "For what?"

"Everything."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: So…how was that?! That was my first time writing anything like that, so I was a little unsure and uncomfortable, but I hope I didn't disappoint! Tell me what you thought of this chapter and what you would like to come for these two beautiful characters in later chapters. Oh, and things are gonna start to go downhill, fast, so prepare yourselves! **** Thank you guys! -Courtney**


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